Simchat Torah – Festival Fun 2017

The culmination of our season of High Holly Day festivals is Simchat Torah when we celebrate getting to the end of our weekly “Parsha” reading and starting over again with the first “Parsha“, called ‘Bereshith‘, which in Hebrew means “in the beginning”, the first words of the book of Genesis.

The congregation also nominate two members from their midst to have the high honour of being bridegrooms of the law, know as the “Chatan Torah” and “Chatan Bereshith”. This year Nick Simons was chosen to be“Chatan Torah” and Joel Drout was“Chatan Bereshith” and they had the privilage of being called to the Bimah for the last and first Torah readings and also to lead the congregation during the customary processions of the scrolls around the Shul (Synagogue).

The procession is always a lot of fun as there is much singing, dancing and merriment with all the children following round carrying coloured flags they had made. We process seven time around the Shul so that all members present get the opportunity to carry a scroll. The best bit, however, is the giving of sweets to the children as they follow round. This year Hannah Grainger did face-painting to add to the colour and fun of the occasion.

The bridegroom’s of the law also throw a party for the congregation after the evening service and procession of the scrolls. This year it had an ‘Italian” theme as Joels’s wife Barbara is Italian. We very much enjoyed a veritable feast of; pizza, spinach & chickpea soup, chalah, green minestone with tortolloni, amazing cheeses, grapes, figs and dates and a glass of prosecco to wash it all down. Fantastic.

Our thanks to Poppy & Nick and Joel & Barbara for their very kind hospitality.